Pneumatic tube carrier closure construction

ABSTRACT

A closure construction for an open end of an elongated tubular material-conveying pneumatic tube system carrier, generally oval in cross-section, and particularly adapted for conveying all kinds of objects, articles or materials. A spring loaded carrier head forms the closure and is slidably mounted for linear movement on a hinge member which is pivotally mounted on the carrier body. The head and body have latch components which are interengaged when the head is in closed position. The head is biased slidably toward and is held in a position unengageable with the body latch component when the latch components are disengaged, visually indicating that the closure is unlatched, and structurally preventing the carrier with an unlatched head from being inserted into a pneumatic tube. The unlatched head may be pivotally moved to an open position fully exposing the full open end of the body for access to the compartment formed by the body. The head in unlatched or full open position interferes with carrier insertion into a pneumatic tube system. The head in latched position is unaffected by forces, which may be centrifugal in nature, to which the carrier is subjected during movement through a pneumatic tube system. The closure may include lock means for locking the head in latched position.

United States Patent 11 1 Freese PNEUMATIC TUBE CARRIER CLOSURECONSTRUCTION [75] lnventor: Howard W. Freese, Manlius, NY. [73]Assignee: Diebold Incorporated, Canton, Ohio [22] Filed: Dec. 10, 1971[21] Appl. No.: 206,676

Primary Examiner-Harvey C. I-lornsby Attorney-John I-I. Bishop et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A closure construction for an open end of an elongated I11 1 3,756,537 [451 Sept. 4, 1973 tubular material-conveying pneumatictube system carrier, generally oval in cross-section, and particularlyadapted for conveying all kinds of objects, articles or materials. Aspring loaded carrier head forms the closure and is slidably mounted forlinear movement on a hinge member which is pivotally mounted on thecarrier body. The head and body have latch components which areinterengaged when the head is in closed position. The head is biasedslidably toward and is held in a position unengageable with the bodylatch component when the latch components are disengaged, visuallyindicating that the closure is unlatched, and structurally preventingthe carrier with an unlatched head from being inserted into a pneumatictube. The unlatched head may be pivotally moved to an open positionfully exposing the full open end of the body for access to thecompartment formed by the body. The head in unlatched or full openposition interferes with carrier insertion into a pneumatic tube system.The head in latched position is unaffected by forces, which may becentrifugal in nature, to which the carrier is subjected during movementthrough a pneumatic tube system. The closure may include lock means forlocking the head in latched position.

1 Claim, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEUSiP 4191a 3.756537 saw 1 0F 4 IINVENTOR HOWARD w. FREESE l7 l6 7 & M

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDSEP 41973 SHEET 2 BF 4 FIG.3

ATTORNEYS SHEET 0F 4 PATENTEDSEP 4 97s INVENTOR HOWARD w. FREESEATTORNEYS PNEUMATIC TUBE CARRIER CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates-to a carrierfor conveying objects or materials through a pneumatic tube system. Thecarrier body is hollow or tubular and has at least one open end foraccess into its interior. The open end normally is covered by a closuremember readily movable between fully open and fully closed positions.The closure member should be held immovably and securely in closedposition. The interior of the carrier should be capable of quick andaccessible loading and unloading when the closure member is in openposition.

More particularly the invention relates to an elongated carrier bodyhaving an oval cross-section-with substantial internal capacity formaterials handling. For example such a carrier commonly is identified asa 4 X 7 carrier having at least one open end with an oval opening 4 X 7inches. The compartment in the carrier body and the size of the open endmust be as large as possible, and the open end should not be restrictedby the construction and mounting of the closure member.

Such carriers usually are non-captive carriers and are removed from orintroduced into a pneumatic tube system by an individual who may beunacquaintedwith or may not pay attention to the necessity of being surethat the carrier closure is properly closed and latched before placingthe carrier into the tube system.

The invention thus more particularly relates to a'construction whichrenders it extremely difficult, if not impossible, by structuralinterference between carrier and tube elements, to introduce the carrierinto the tube system if the carrier is unlatched or open.

2. Description of the Prior Art 7 1 Many closure arrangements forpneumatic tube: system carrier access openings have beenused..Prior.carrier closure mounting and latching mechanisms have beensubject to injury, wear and malfunctioning in use. For example, priorcarrier closure latch mechanisms have become unlatched in traveling athigh speed through pneumatic tubes due to the action of forces,primarily centrifugal forces, affecting the carrier components.

In other instances, a user, unacquainted with the necessity of beingcertain that the carrier closure is latched, has introduced a carrierwith an unlatched'closure into a tube system.

In either instance, the carrier can become jammed at a relativelyunaccessible location in the tube system. Such jamming may require thesystem to be shut down and great difficulties may be encountered inremoving the jammed carrier and reestablishing pneumatic tube systemoperation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objectives of the invention include providing apneumatic tube system carrier, primarily of the 4 X-7- type, with aclosure or head for its open end that'may be moved readily between openand closed positions; which has a positive latch means that only can beunlatched by relative movement in one direction between the carrier headand body; which when unlatched is biased by relative movement betweenthe head and body in the other direction to a position preventinglatching;

which when unlatched permits pivotal movement of the head to a positionfully exposing the entire open end of k a visual indication of theunlatched condition of the head; which includes a closure constructionand latch components unaffected by centrifugal forces as the carriermoves through a pneumatic tube system; which enables convenient loadingand unloading of the carrier; and which eliminates difficultiesheretofore encountered, achieves the stated objectives simply,effectively and inexpensively", and solves existing problems andsatisfies existing needs in the art.

These objectives and advantages areobtained by the pneumatic tube systemclosure construction for a carrier access opening, the general nature ofwhich may be stated as including a generally tubular preferablytransparent, plastic material, oval cross-section carrier body havingtwo ends at least one end of which is open; closure means for said openend including a head, a hinge member on which the head is slidablymounted for lineal movement in a direction along the long axis of theoval shape at the open end of the body; means pivotally mounting thehinge member on the upper end of the body; the head and the body wallsat the open end having complementary latch formations interengaged whenthe head is in closed position; spring means biasing the head slidablyin one direction to latch-engaged position-,the head being slidable'onthe hinge member in the opposite direction to disengage the latchformations; the head when said latch formations are disengaged beingpivotal onthe pivotal mounting and slidable insaid one direction to abiased disengaged position in which the head-projects laterally of theopen end of the carrier body;the headbeing pivotal on the pivotalmounting to afullo'pen position exposing the full opening-at the opencarrier end; and the" head when in disengaged or full open positionsinterfering with the insertion of the carrier intoa pneumatic tube.

' BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred'embo'diment of theinvention illustrative of the bestmode in which applicant hascontemplated applying the principles 1 isset forth in the followingdescription and shown the drawings, and is particularly and distinctlypointed out and set forth in the appended claims. I l v FIG. I is aperspective view of acarrier provided with the improved closureconstruction;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale of one end of the carriershown in FIG. I, with the carrier head or closure member in latchedposition, looking generally toward the hingedend'of the head;

FIG. 3 is a' perspective view similar to FIG. 2 but looking towardthelatch endof the head and carrier body latch components, with the head inunlatched and partially open position; I

FIG..4 is a fragmentary section-taken axially through the longaxis ofthe generally oval shape of the upper end of the carrier body and head,looking in the direction of the arrows 4-4, FIG. 5; v

- FIG. 5 is a fragmentaryv sectional view taken on the line 5-5, FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the head in full linesmoved to a position to disengage the latch components of the head andbody;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 6 but showing the head in thenormally biased unlatched position, prior to being pivoted to openposition;

FIG. 8 is a side view, with parts broken away and in section, looking inthe direction of the arrows 8-8, FIG. 4;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan sectional view of the head, taken on the line9-9, FIG. 4 looking upward at the underside of the head with partsbroken away and removed;

FIG. 10 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of one end of a carrier with theimproved closure head in latched position;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the head in full linesmoved linearly in one direction to disengage the latch components of thehead and body, and showing in dot-dash lines the head at the beginningof upward pivoted movement from latch disengaged positron;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIGS. 10 and 11 showing the head biased tonormal unlatched position after the latch components have beendisengaged; and

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 illustrating the headpivotally moved to fully open position.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The improved pneumatic tubesystem carrier 1 has a carrier body generally indicated at 2 which isgenerally tubular in shape, and elongated, and is generally oval incross-section. The body 2 may be formed of trans parent plastic materialhaving relatively thin walls, as indicated at 3 in FIG. 3 and in thesectional views of FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7. The flat sides 4 of the walls ofbody 2 preferably may be reinforced by wear ribs 5 formed integrally ofthe walls. Both ends of the body 2 may be open and provided with theimproved closure means, or if desired only one end may be open with aclosure therefor. In the carrier 1 illustrated, both ends are providedwith the improved closure means generally indicated at 6.

The wall of body 2 may be annularly thickened at 7 adjacent each end toform a shoulder 8 against which a usual felt wear and sealing oraccelerator ring 9 is seated. The wear rings 9 may be held assembled byretaining rings 10 secured in any suitable manner to the body 2. Thewear and seal rings 9 perform the usual function of sealing of thecarrier in a pneumatic tube as the carrier is propelled through the tubesystem by differential air pressure.

Each closure 6 has a head or cover member 1 1 which preferably may beformed or molded of plastic material. The head 11 preferably has a flattop wall 12, generally oval in configuration, with preferably concaverounded corners 13 at the rounded hinge end 14 and along the straightsides 15 of the head 11. The rounded latch end 16 of head 11 preferablyis formed with a tapered corner wall portion 17 joining top wall 12 androunded side wall 16,

The rounded hinge and latch ends 14 and 16 and the straight sides 15 ofhead 11 are formed as a continuous down-turned flange extending from thecorner walls 13 and 17 as best shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. This flangeforms a recessed cavity 18 in the head beneath its flat top wall 12. Anumber of reinforcing ribs 19, bosses 20 and slide forming ribs 2| (FIG.9) project downward from the head wall 12 into the cavity 18. The slideribs 21 are spaced laterally of the head, are parallel, and extendaxially of the oval.

A cover plate 22 preferably is secured by screws 23 to the bosses 20 toenclose the cavity 18. A push button recess 24 is formed in head topwall 12 adjacent the latch end 16 of head 1 1. The undersurface 25 ofthe depressed portion 26 of top wall 12 which forms recess 24 is spacedabove the cover plate 22.

The head 1 l is pivotally mounted on the upper thickened wall portion 29of body 2 by hinge pin 27 and L shaped hinge member 28. The hinge pin islocated at the hinge end of the open end of carrier 1 (FIGS. 3 and 4).I-Iinge member 28 has a short hinge leg 30 and an elongated slide leg31. The slide leg 31 is slidably mounted within the cavity 18 of head 11laterally between slide ribs 21 (FIG. 5) and above cover plate 22 andbelow the undersurface 25 of push button recess 24.

Cover plate 22 has a notch 32 (FIG. 3) through which the hinge leg 30 ofhinge member 28 projects downward from the head cavity 18. A spring 33is retained within the cavity 18 and reacts between the pivoted end ofhinge plate slide leg 31 and the hinge end 14 of head 11 (FIGS. 4, 6 and7). Spring 33 normally biases head 11 linearly in the direction of hingepin 30 to an unlatched position shown in FIGS. 7 and 12. In thisposition, the outer end 34 of slide leg 31 abuts the inner surface ofthe rounded latch end flange 16 of head 11 (FIGS. 3 and 7).

A rod 53 extends through spring 33 (FIGS. 4, 6 and 7) with one end 54fixed to member 14. The opposite end 55 of rod 53 is slidably located inan opening 56 formed in slide leg 31. Rod 53 prevents spring 33 frombowing outwards when compressed during closing of head 11, thusmaintaining the full spring pressure between head l1 and slide leg 3l.

The rounded latch end flange 16 of head 11 extends downward from topwall 12 further than flange portions 14 and 15, as indicated at 35 toform an extended latch flange connected by hook latch portions 36 withthe side flanges 15 of head 11. The upper ends of the carrier body wallswhich define the upper open end 37 of the carrier have a shapecomplementary to the continuous side flange portions 14, 15, 16, 35 and36 of the head 11 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Thus the body walls 2 at the upperopen end 37 of the carrier 1 have hook latch portions 38 whichinterengage (FIG. 4) the head latch portions 36 when the head 11 is inclosed position. The head 1 1 is held in such interengaged latchedclosed position by the action of the spring 33.

The slide leg 31 of hinge member 28 has a narrow slot 39 formed thereinat its top surface extending longitudinally of the slide leg 31intermediate its ends. A wider and longer lock slot 40 also is formed inthe bottom surface of slide leg 31 below and communicating with slot 39.Slots 39 and 40 are centered in both directions with respect to oneanother. Slot 40 has-a depth equal to about 1/3 of the thickness of theslide leg 31 at its outer end remote from the hinged end of member 28,as indicated at 41 (FIG. 7). Slot 39 similarly has a depth from the topsurface of leg 31 equal to about one-third the thickness of slide leg31, best shown in terminates short of the outer end 41 of slot 40 at azone coinciding with the left hand end of slot 39 as indicated at 42 inFIGS. 7 and 9. The ends of slots 39 and 40 and of the portion 42 of slot40 are semi-circular, as shown in FIG. 9.

A push button generally indicated at 43, having an actuating head 44, acontrol head 45 and a connecting spindle 46, is mounted on head 11 withits actuating head 44 located within the recess 24 and its control headextending into and movable in end slot 40 and slot portion 42. The pushbutton spindle 46 extends through an opening 47 in the depressed wall 26of head 11, and spindle 46 also extends through narrow slide leg slot39.

Push button 43 is normally biased upward by spring 48. Thus push buttoncontrol head 45 normally is movable in the deeper or right hand portionof slot 40 between the right hand end thereof as shown in FIG. 7, andthe intermediate or stop portion 42 thereof as shown in FIGS. 4 and 9.When push button 43 is biased to its normal lock position shown in FIGS.4 and 9, the control head 45 of push button 43 prevents carrier head 11from being moved relative to slide leg 31 of hinge member 28 to the leftto disengage the latch formations 36-38 on the head 11 and body 2. Thuspush button 43 holds carrier head 11 locked in latched position as shownin FIG. 4.

When it is desired to open head 11, push button 43 must be depressed tothe position shown in FIG. 6 from the position of FIG. 4. This movementdepresses the control head 45 of push button 43 so that it can move intothe shallower right hand end 41 of slot 40 permitting the head 11 to bemoved to the left as shown in FIG. 6 so as to disengage latch formations36 and '38 as illustrated in full lines in FIG. 6.

When the latch formations 36 and 38 are disengaged, the head 11 may bepivoted upward on hinge pin 27 and hinge member 28 to the position shownin dot-dash lines in FIG. 6. Thereupon, as the operator releases a graspof head 11, spring 33 will move the head 11 to the position shown inFIG. 7 from that shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 6. This position istermed herein as the normal unlatched position.

The limit of relative movement of head 11 by spring 33 on hinge member28 at the normal unlatched position is controlled by the rounded latchend flange 16 of head 11 engaging the outer end of slide leg 31, asshown in FIG. 7, and by spindle 46 engaging the right hand rounded endof narrow slot 39.

The various positions of the improved carrier construction areillustrated somewhat diagrammatically in FIGS. through 13. FIG. 10illustrates the head 11 in latched or closed position. FIG. 11illustrates the head 11 movedin the direction of the arrow 49 to theleftto disengage the latch formations 36 and 38 from the latched position ofFIG. 10 to the disengagedunlatched position of FIG. 11. When the head 11is in the disengaged-unlatched position shown in full lines in FIG. 11,it may be pivoted clockwise on pivot pin 27 to the dot-dash positionshown in FIG. 11; whereupon if head 11 is released from the grasp of theoperator or user, it will move automatically in the direction of thearrow 50 (FIG. 12) to the normal unlatched position illustrated in FIG.12. The directions of movement of the head 1 1 indicated by the arrow 49to disengage the latch formations and by the arrow 50 for movement ofthe head 11 to normal unlatched position, are in opposite directions,generally axially of the long axis of the oval shape. I

The head 11 may be pivoted from normal unlatched position of FIG. 12,clockwise on hinge pin 27 to the fully open position of FIG. 13. Thisfully open position also is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein the upper openend of the carrier 1 is fully exposed and accessible to place articlesin or remove them from the cavity in the carrier body 2.

The head 11 may be grasped readily by one hand of a user who may be.holding body 2 in the other hand. To facilitate grasping of the head,the depending head flange may be serrated or formed with a series ofgrooves or indentations 51 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) to avoid finger slippageas the head is moved from latchengaged to latch-disengaged position, orwhen the head is moved from open position to closed and latchedposition.

The locking mechanism including the push button 43 and its control head45 have been illustrated and described as a lock for the latched head11. However, it is not necessary for proper functioning of the latchmechanism to include alock, and the lock push button 43 may be omittedif desired.

A pair of ribs 52 are illustrated particularly in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5extending downward from the inside of the bottom edges of the headstraight side flange portions 15. These ribs 52, as illustrated in FIG.5, guide and center the head 11 as it is being moved to and latched inclosed position, so that the flanges l5 and 16 and latch formations 36on the head 11 match the complementary portions 37 and 38at theupperopen end of the carrier body 2 in the closed position illustrated inFIGS. 1, 2, 4'and- 10.

The right hand or hinge end of head 11 overhangs or projects from theright hand edge of the body 2 when the head 11 is in normal unlatched orfull open positions illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. This overhangprovides a visual indication to'the user that the closure is not inclosed position. Further the overhang provides mechanical interferencewhich prevents the user placing an open carrier into a pneumatic tube.

This is one of the important aspects of the invention since even if theuser of the carrier may not be aware of the necessity for having theclosure for the carrier closed and locked before depositing it in a tubesystem, and such user tries to make such a tube entry, the entry of theunclosed carrier will be prevented or rejected'by' the interference ofthe' overhang.

' Another important aspect of the invention is the simplicity of theclosure mounting, hinge, and control mechanism, with relatively fewrugged and sturdy parts which resist damage during-rough use thereof.

. A still further'aspectot the invention is the ability to open thecarrier closure to a position fully exposing the open end of the carrierfor convenient access to its interior while still incorporating theother advantageous features in-the carrier construction and operation.

Although the carrier illustrated is equipped with locking mechanism tolock the carrier closure in latched position, as indicated, this lookmay be omitted if desired since the latch mech'anismfunctions just aswell'without the related lock.

The improved carrier closure construction is very simple, sturdy andshock and fatigue resistant; it provides an effective and reliable endclosure for a pneumatic tube system carrier particularly of the ovaltype which may be positively latched in closed position and whichvisually shows when it is unlatched and provides mechanical interferencewhen unlatched to entry of the carrier into a pneumatic system; it issimple and convenient to load, unload, latch and unlatch by the mostinexperienced person; and it provides a structure eliminatingdifficulties that have been encountered in the art, and achieving thestated objectives and solving existing problems in the art.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness, and understanding; but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art because suchterms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadlyconstrued.

Moreover the description and illustration of the invention is by way ofexample, and the scope of the invention is not limited to the exactdetails shown or described.

Having now described the features, discoveries, and principles of theinvention, the manner in which the im proved carrier closureconstruction is constructed and used, the characteristics of the newconstruction, and the advantageous, new and useful results obtained; thenew and. useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts, andcombinations are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Closure construction for a pneumatic tube carrier including agenerally tubular carrier body wall having two ends at least one ofwhich is open; closure means for said open end including a head, a hingemember, means pivotally mounting the hinge member on the upper end ofthe body, and means slidably mounting the head for lineal movement onthe hinge member; the head and body walls at the open end havingcomplementary latch formations engageable and disengageable on relativelineal movement of the head and hinge member between latched-closed andunlatched positions; spring means biasing the head slidably on the hingemember in one direction to latched-closed position; the head beingslidable on the hinge member in the opposite direction to unlatchedposition; the hinge member and head when in unlatched position beingpivotal on said pivotal mounting to a fully open position fully exposingthe open end of the carrier; releasable lock means on the head, holdingsaid head locked in latched-closed position; the lock means including apush button mounted on the head having an actuating head accessibleexteriorly of the carrier head, and a control head engageable with slotmeans formed in the hinge member provided with an offset stop shoulder;the push button being biased normally to hold the control head engagedwith the stop shoulder when the carrier head is in latched-closedposition preventing unlatching of the carrier head; and the push buttonwhen actuated disengaging the control head from the stop shoulderpermitting movement of the carrier head from latched-closed to unlatchedposition.

1. Closure construction for a pneumatic tube carrier including agenerally tubular carrier body wall having two ends at least one ofwhich is open; closure means for said open end including a head, a hingemember, means pivotally mounting the hinge member on the upper end ofthe body, and means slidably mounting the head for lineal movement onthe hinge member; the head and body walls at the open end havingcomplementary latch formations engageable and disengageable on relativelineal movement of the head and hinge member between latched-closed andunlatched positions; spring means biasing the head slidably on the hingemember in one direction to latched-closed position; the head beingslidable on the hinge member in the opposite direction to unlatchedposition; the hinge member and head when in unlatched position beingpivotal on said pivotal mounting to a fully open position fully exposingthe open end of the carrier; releasable lock means on the head, holdingsaid head locked in latchedclosed position; the lock means including apush button mounted on the head having an actuating head accessibleexteriorly of the carrier head, and a control head engageable with slotmeans formed in the hinge member provided with an offset stop shoulder;the push button being biased normally to hold the control head engagedwith the stop shoulder when the carrier head is in latched-closedposition preventing unlatching of the carrier head; and the push buttonwhen actuated disengaging the control head from the stop shoulderpermitting movement of the carrier head from latched-closed to unlatchedposition.